Bija's popular column in Dancebeat covers topics of fitness and dance. One subscriber wrote: "Thank you so much for your resonating, funny, helpful articles, and for expressing so vividly the thoughts and feelings of ballroom dancers. My friends and I agree that you certainly spoke for us many times! I appreciate the humor and human-ness of the perspective." ~ EM

10 Aug 2005

How to Pump Up your MOJO for Competition
ENERGY! We all need it, especially for dancing! With the tough competition, you want an edge over everyone else if you can get it. Besides training and eating well, what can you do to improve your performance? In an effort to get ahead, many athletes (dancesport included) use drugs and supplements to enhance their performance. In an NCAA survey, a surprising 58% of athletes admitted to ...(read full article)...

26 Jun 2005

5 Steps to Eating for ENERGY!
HEY! How’s your ENERGY? Are you one of those people who start out with a BANG! but then lose steam over the course of the day? Do you find yourself grabbing sugary snacks or caffeine late in the afternoon to ‘keep going?’ Do you ever have to drag yourself through to the end of the day?

You may be suffering from blood-sugar “highs-and-lows” which can and SHOULD be prevented!...(read full article)...

15 Apr 2005

LEAVE YOUR AUDIENCE BREATHLESS!
ARE YOU ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HOLDS THEIR BREATH WHILE DANCING? If 30 seconds into a dance your arms and legs feel like lead and you think you’re going to die, chances are you do! It’s possible your aerobic conditioning needs improving, but more likely, you JUST NEED TO BREATHE!...(read full article)...

19 Mar 2005

"What a Pain in the Neck!"
“GET YOUR HEAD OUT!” What woman learning Standard hasn't heard that? The lady’s poise in International Standard is so lovely we are all enchanted by it. Just look at Katusha Demidova’s fabulous top line. She is emulated by ladies around the world. But without proper understanding or conditioning, injury and neck strain are often the unfortunate result...(read full article)...

27 Feb 2005

WHY DIETING MAKES YOU FAT
DANCERS LOVE TO LOOK GOOD! All dressed up, dancing our hearts out, and we’re in Heaven! But it wrecks our party when we can’t zip into our favorite outfit due to recent weight gain! Well, “the Holidays” are over, and Resolutions are still fresh; so what are YOU doing to get back your lovely, svelte figure?

WAIT! DID YOU SAY “DIET”??? ...(read full article)...

20 Jan 2005

WHY DO DANCERS SMOKE?
IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD LIKE DANCING, people go to extreme lengths to improve themselves. The money spent on lessons, the dedication to long hours of practice, the intense focus and competitive mindset makes you think dancers leave no stone unturned to get ahead in their careers. Why then, would serious dancers take up a habit as self-destructive as smoking?...(read full article)...

24 Dec 2004

WHEN DANCING TAKES OVER YOUR LIFE
IT STARTED OUT INNOCENTLY, of course. Learning your first few dance steps you thought, “WOW, I could really get to LIKE this!” Fast-forward a few years... and we see the seductive world of ballroom dancing has gradually taken over your life, your body, your mind, even your finances. COMPLETELY. Did you have any clue what you were getting into?...(read full article)...

22 Nov 2004

WOMEN IH HIGH HEELS
“SHE DANCED PASSIONATELY ALL NIGHT, sequined and feathered in colorful silks, her lovely head and heart bursting with joy. Suddenly she sobered... then bolted out the door, down the staircase...losing a tiny shoe as she ran. Once through the hedge, she yanked off the other shoe, writhing in pain. Standing barefoot in rags, Cinderella burst into tears... BECAUSE HER FEET HURT!! ...(read full article)...

23 Sep 2004

FIND YOUR BALANCE!
FALLING DOWN ON THE DANCE FLOOR has got to be one of the ultimate catastrophes that can happen to you in competition. Sooner or later it happens to many a surprised dancer. Quickly upright, the dancing resumes... red-cheeked and vowing not to let THAT happen again! We take balance for granted most of the time. Since it is...(read full article)...

22 Aug 2004

“CHECK OUT THOSE LEGS!!”
Who, in your opinion, has the best legs in the world? We are very spoiled in the ballroom; looking at fabulous feet and legs all the time, sometimes even perhaps taking their beauty for granted. Slavik, Karina, Jonathan, Katusha, to name just a few...(read full article)...

20 Jul 2004

Building Stamina and Endurance for Competition
How many times have you made it to the end of a dance or a round, only to find your legs, your lungs, or your mental energy failing you? This is such a common occurrence, even among higher-level dancers that you would think it were unpreventable. That is simply not true! In a day when the level of dancing has risen so high... (read full article)...